Did I just find my new favorite contemporary romcom?? This is the most self-aware romance I’ve read in a long time. The main character, Margot, is a romance novelist. So she notices all the tropes and points them out as they happen. The chemistry between her and Forrest is scorching, and this was some of the best banter I’ve ever read! There’s also an awesome sister relationship between Margot and Savannah. I love how they care for each other.

I highlighted so many amazingly funny and well written turns of phrase. I’m not normally a highlighter but the writing was so good I had to remember it!

The spice was amazing. Hot af. That sauna scene. Do I have a new fetish?

I can’t believe this was a debut novel! I can’t wait to see what @victorialavinewrites does next!

Thank you to @Netgalley and @atriabooks for the chance to review this ARC.

This book is millennial-coded in the best way! I loved the dual POV—it’s full of humor, heart, and just the right amount of spice. The meet-cute between the main characters was hilarious, and I really enjoyed the parallel storylines of both characters caring for their family members, a responsibility that’s both a blessing and a challenge. The mix of classic book tropes kept me laughing, making this a fun, feel-good read with plenty of charm! Such an amazing debut!

After a career-ending scandal and the fallout from HNA-Gate, bestselling romance author Margot Bradley escapes to a remote Alaskan resort to reinvent herself as a murder mystery writer but instead finds herself living in a real-life rom-com (IYKYK). The grumpy yet irresistible resort owner, Dr. Forrest Wakefield, has his own reasons for avoiding love, but as unexpected tropes keep throwing them together, Margot starts to wonder if she’s been wrong about happily ever afters all along.

Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Victoria Lavine for granting me access to this book. All opinions are my own.

When best-selling romance author, Margot Bradley's laptop gets hacked and her secret "Happily Never After" file (a file containing alternate non-hea endings for all her HEA novels) gets leaked, she gets canceled by the whole community and is dropped by her publisher. Her sister, Savannah, convinces her to take some time off and go to Alaska and try her hand at writing in a different genre.

What Margot does not expect to find at a totally off-the-grid resort, is the literal form of her perfect man. Like he was made with a little piece of each of her heroes in the stories she writes, but ultimately a man who seems way too good to be true? Yeah that one.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters, their flaws, the scenery, everything about this book was just so good.
Margot and Forrest are two sides of the same coin, always putting others first and wanting to be there for their loved ones. Their attraction and chemistry is amazing, and their character development through the story was so so good.

And while, yes, the relationship between Margot and Forrest, was to die for; Her relationship with her sister, Savannah was what really stole the show for me. The sisterly love was actually making me tear up!

All in all, this book has easily made it into my top favorite reads of this year. I highly recommend picking this one up when it comes out on April 1st!

Thank you to Atria books and to Simon & Schuster for giving me this early copy!

I enjoyed reading this book—it was a fun and lighthearted story, and I appreciated how the different tropes were woven in. However, the characters felt a bit random, and I didn’t really connect with them. There were also several storylines that didn’t quite come together cohesively. Overall, it was an easy, cute read, but not necessarily my favorite.

A very lighthearted and easy romance. I would say mid level steamy but occasionally cringe. If you’re looking for a HEA that’s incredibly predictable as a good distraction, this will do it.

A cute debut novel! This is an easy and quick read, but I didn’t feel too connected to the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this eARC.

This was a cute story and an easy read.. however I just did not feel connected to the characters at all. I didn’t feel like I really KNEW them. Which also led me to not feel the chemistry between the two main characters either. I did enjoy the Alaskan setting and will say that the writing was good! The story just for some reason didn’t fully connect for me. I definitely see a lot of potential for this new author with this being her debut novel. Something was just missing for me in this one. I did enjoy the humor as well as the side characters. I probably would give a future book by this author another chance.

As a long-time romance reader, with a title like Any Trope But You, I figured there'd be a fair amount of tropes in this book, but what I wasn't expecting was for the book to be an outright homage and tribute to romance readers in all their messy glory and expectations for the genre. It was like reading a romance written at a meta level and was very fun to read.

Margot, the FMC, is a successful, well-known, and well-loved romance author who has a secret - after numerous disappointments in her personal life, she doesn't actually believe in love or in romance. When her fans discover this, they turn on her and she is convinced by her sister to go to a remote lodge in Alaska, in winter, to re-invent herself as a mystery writer. There, she runs into Forrest, the lodge owner's son, who is a successful research doctor but has come home to run the lodge due to an injury that incapacitated his father.

Right away, we have the enemies to lovers trope, followed in quick succession by insta-lust, remote, off-the-grid location, only one tent, "oh no, hypothermia, must get naked and warm up skin to skin", there's even a tame moose, and Margot's first view of Forrest is of him chopping wood in the snow. It's all great fun, especially because Margot keeps noting all of the romance hero tropes that Forrest embodies and she keeps waiting for him to finally reveal some deep hidden flaw.

Margot and Forrest are far more alike than they are different. They are both caretakers to their cores, Margot of her sister, who has an autoimmune disease, Forrest of his injured father. Because of these shared values, they "get" each other at a very deep level. At one point, some conflict arose due to Forrest keeping information from Margot, but it was quickly resolved as he understood exactly why she was so upset and quickly explained what had happened. I thought she was a bit arrogant initially, especially as she was clueless about living in the wilderness and should have been more open to advice, but that got better as the book went on. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

"Any Trope but You" by debut author Victoria Lavine was such a hilarious, tongue-in-cheek ride through a multitude of our favorite romance tropes, all in the same book.

Margot Bradley is an author with a large audience who eats up her happily-ever-after romance novels. The only problem? Margot doesn't believe in the happily ever afters that she gives her readers in her novels. Her solace? Her secret "Happily Never After" file where she writes alternate endings to her novels and their beloved characters. One night during a live podcast, Margot's 'Happily Never After' file gets leaked to the internet at large, bringing her career to a crashing halt and causing both her readers and her publisher to drop her. When her chronically ill sister, who Margot has spent a lifetime helping the care for, sends Margot to Alaska to help her escape the public and to start writing her next novel, Margot discovers that perhaps there is something to all of those well used romance tropes that readers love so well. And perhaps that Happily Ever After may not be out of reach for her after all.

A hysterical debut, 'Any Trope but You' views some of our favorite romance tropes - forced proximity, the selfless main male character who stopped his life to care for his father since he's a doctor (because, OF COURSE he is), enemies (-ish) to lovers, etcetera - through the jaded eyes of someone who does not believe that romance is for her. The result is a rom-com with enough will they or won't they heat to melt the snows of Alaska. Sprinkled with chronic illness representation, and a sympathetic nod to caregivers and the sacrifices they make, 'Any Trope but You' is a perfect addition to the romance genre it lovingly pokes fun at.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for providing me with an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Atria books, and Netgalley for the ARC!

I had very high hopes for this novel because the description sounded soo good however this was a DNF for me. I ,ace it 15% of the way through and just could not get into it. The FMC was so unlikeable to me that I just couldn’t go any further. It has a lot of tropes that would have been good however I did not read far enough to see if they were executed well.

First off, thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

That being said, there is literally nothing about this book that I enjoyed. I DNF’d at 13% (but also read the last chapter) because nothing was really making sense and the main female character was insufferable and setting feminism back 50 years with her ineptitude. It had so much potential based on the blurb, but this was just NOT the book for me. 1⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Forrest is the main male character who is the epitome of every romance genre trope. Margot is the romance novel writer. Except she’s on hiatus after her followers witness a hacker exploit her negative side and weariness to HEA. The two meet up when Margot’s sister send her to Alaska for a break to work on her next novel in a new genre. A meet cute of course, two people who don’t believe in HEAs what can go wrong. Especially in the middle of remote Alaska. A great read that sums up all the romance tropes and makes you believe that love can be found by all, and possibly not where or when you expect it.

As a romance reader, I really enjoyed Any Trope But You - not just because I agree with the sentiment that romance readers are the best readers (we are), nor only because each of the tropes were so spot on, but because it's nice to read about HEA and HNA (happily-never-afters). This story about Margot, a famous romance author, opens up with her dirty secret being shared on a huge webcast. She has written the book of Happily Never Afters - you know, the real stories about child custody disputes and divorces, ghosting and erectile dysfunction - for her beloved characters. Oh, and when the tide was turning during that webcast, she also shows off her granny panties. Solid. So her sister Savannah packs her up and sends her to Alaska where she literally runs into the peak of a swoony romance MMC named Forrest. Yes, he lives in the forest; yes, there are all the puns. So starts the enemies-to-maybe-lovers story.

I thought this book was a wonderful tribute to the tropes that we all love (the people who hate on them probably secretly love them too). Victoria Lavine was witty, created deep characters, and didn't shy away from some of the heartache that comes with loving other people. It was easy to get invested in the stories of all of the characters and was a quick, enjoyable read. I'll definitely be looking out for more stories from Victoria! I would highly recommend, even to those that may not be die-hard romance readers.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

many thanks to the author, atria books, and netgalley for this arc

as an avid romance reader, i loved everything about this (even the third act breakup that i knew was coming but still wrecked me on every plane of existence). i laughed, i ugly cried, it was such a well written book. i really appreciated the emotional depth to it and the way Lavine made me homesick for a kind of love i’ve yet to experience.

the bond between Margot and Savannah was so so beautiful, i loved how they were each other’s safety and how they both grew to be independent. i especially loved the letter aspect to this book. now Forrest was a book bf dream (obviously) and it was so refreshing for the book to poke fun at itself. i’d recommend this book to the romance lover, the romance hater, and everyone in between. it really is so much more than a list of tropes

Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark secret: she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher. Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she’s just landed in a romance novel instead. The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he’s really doing at his family’s resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over—until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn’t have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date. As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they’ll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves—or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves.

Thoughts
A light fluffy easy read with a dash of spice. The main characters are both caretakers to family members which adds a layer of depth and complication to their story. But this isn’t a heavy read. I liked the idea of a romance writer not believing in love to run into a mixture of all the tropes in on man.

Two Sentence Summary:
After her Happily “Never” After file is leaked, canceled romance author Margot flees to a remote Alaskan resort to write a murder mystery—only to find herself dodging moose and falling into a classic rom-com story line. As forced proximity and tropes ensue, she and the grumpy proprietor, Forrest must decide if they’re brave enough to rewrite their own ending.

My Thoughts:
This book was an absolute love letter to romance readers, and I devoured every single page! From the very first chapter, I was hooked on Margot’s journey—from canceled romance author to reluctant rom-com heroine—and the way this story so brilliantly played with (and fully embraced) beloved romance tropes. The writing was sharp, the humor spot-on, and the emotional depth so perfectly woven in that I found myself laughing one moment and swooning the next.

Dr. Forrest Wakefield? Utterly swoon-worthy. He’s the perfect mix of grumpy, protective, and secretly soft, and watching him fall for Margot—despite every effort to resist—was pure magic. And Margot? An absolute girl boss. I adored her wit, resilience, and the way she refused to let her past define her. Their chemistry was electric, their banter was perfection, and every moment between them had me grinning like an idiot.

This book had everything I love in a bingeable rom-com: the perfect balance of humor and heart, expertly executed tropes, and a romance that made me feel. I cannot wait to read more from this author—because if this debut is any indication, they are about to become an auto-buy for me!

DNF at 30% mark.

I had high hopes for this one but I just couldn’t into it. I wasn’t a fan of the FMC. I also didn’t like all the profanity that was thrown in there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for this advanced readers copy. This is not honest and voluntary opinion.

This was so sweet. Margot tried so hard to resist Forrest but he is just the epitome of a book boyfriend. He is adorable and just wants to take care of his dad. He doesn't think that he can give Margot what she needs. They are fighting it so hard, but you can't fight fate. I do wish that there was an epilogue, I need more of them.

I received an arc through netgalley.

After a spectacular career implosion leaves her writing dreams in ashes, Margo is banished to the Alaskan wilderness for a six-week 'reinvention' retreat. Little does she know, her path to self-discovery will be paved with… romance tropes? Literally. On day one, she collides (quite spectacularly) into Forrest, a man who seems to embody every swoon-worthy cliché she’s ever read. Skeptical after a string of disastrous relationships and a called off engagement, Margo is convinced love is a fictional construct. But between the forced proximity of the Alaskan wilds, the undeniable chemistry with Forrest, and her sister Savannah’s relentless nudging, Margot begins to question everything she thought she knew about happily ever after. Can she overcome her cynicism and finally believe that maybe, just maybe, she deserves her own real-life romance trope?"

What really made this book shine, for me, was the banter. Forrest and Margo's back-and-forth was sharp, seemless, and kept the pages turning at a rapid pace. Lavine's writing has this light, humorous tone that grabs you from the first page.

Umm… omg?! This book was so fun! It had so much heart and soul. I loved all of the characters. I cannot believe this was a debut novel!

I really liked the twist on how Margot was a romance author that doesn’t believe in happily ever afters. This added a layer to the plot that was different and I loved what it added to the story! I will also read anything set in Alaska, and once you include adventures and a hot forest (ha) man I am THERE.

The writing was great and kept me interested while reading the story. It was easy to read and complimented the romance and the plot well!

Speaking of which, let’s not forget the romance. This was soooo well done. I loved Forrest and Margot’s chemistry. It was so easy for me to fall in love with their love. They were definitely mirrors for each other and I felt that added depth to their relationship we otherwise wouldn’t have seen. Sometimes books with too many tropes are a turnoff for me but I loved this one. Give me ALL the tropes!

I think this would make a great winter read, but it releases April 1 so add this one to the TBR folks! If this author decides to write more books, I will definitely read them!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!